Syria launchs “Talaqi TV” & “Syriana FM”

(Omar al-Shaar | Dp-news -Sana)

DAMASCUS- Syria`s Prime Minister, Dr. Wael al-Halqi inaugurated Saturday the Talaqi “Arabic word means Meeting” Satellite Channel and Syriana FM radio station as part of news system that highlights political, social and economic national issues.

Syrian PM al-Halqi said that the Syrian media will belie the defamatory allegations of misleading media.

''I'd like to seize this opportunity to stress to our people that we are surely heading for victory,'' al-Halki said, congratulating the Syrian people and the media on the inauguration of these two media platforms which are ''to be added to the news system to bring to light national causes, be them political, social or economic.''

He added that hopes are pinned on launching such media platforms as it will help enhance and deepen the outstanding performance of the Information Ministry through mobilizing potential in this primary sector which is engaged in a real war.

''We are speaking of a national media, no matter the reference, because we are adapting, through these channels, to the requirements of the new media law and the new constitution. Thus, there needs to be launching channels that achieve integrity in media between sectors,'' al-Halqi said.

He said that the naming 'Talaqi', which means 'meeting', with its linguistic and philosophical connotations ''will come up with a state of meeting between the Syrian people which "we aspire to achieve as soon as possible under the circumstances that the Syrian crisis brought about, and we will work together to achieve this meeting through the National Reconciliation project.''

Al-Halqi added that the Channel have set other goals and will target different age, social, cultural and political categories in Syria to realize their aspirations in deepening the culture of national media.

He indicated that the war Syria is fighting has various dimensions in which media is of decisive importance, as ''The Syrian media is engaged in a fierce battle against a media of disinformation that is twisting facts, but the Syrian media managed to get across to the hearts and minds of the Syrian people through conveying to them the reality about the situation on the ground.''

''Syrian media has been a target for terrorism and vandalism and it offered martyrs, and the attacks against the General Organization of Radio & TV and al-Ikhbariya TV, not to mention the hacking of websites, are indicators of the success of the Syrian media, given its embracing objectivity and transparency in conveying the truth,'' the prime minister added.

Al-Halqi also hailed the role of the armed forces in fighting terrorism, adding ''On the 39th anniversary of October Liberation War, I'd like to express utmost respect to the Syrian armed forces who will always be the defenders of the homeland.''

In turn, Syria`s Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said that the inauguration of the radio station and the channel is the culmination of outstanding efforts exerted by the national media cadres, adding that ''they will be a free democratic platform open to all political and societal powers.''

''The message of media is an embodiment of the national message,'' said al-Zoubi, saluting the workers at the General Organisation of Radio & TV.

He added that ''Syria will come out triumphant over the conspiracy, and the Syrian media will play a decisive role in the victory through mobilizing the Syrian people around sublime national values.''

Al-Zoubi also saluted Syria's martyrs and the Syrian Arab army, the Syrian people and President Bashar al-Assad on the anniversary of Tishreen War, recalling the late President Hafez al-Assad who achieved this monumental victory.

Minister of Information launched work on the English-language electronic newspaper "Syria-Times" and the directorates of Electronic Media and War Media.

Al-Zoubi stressed that the Ministry started these projects because it needs additional tools to communicate with societies that don't speak Arabic language.

He stressed the need for the newspaper to circulate reports with transparency, accuracy and creditability, adding that Syria-Times is launched currently in English and set to include two other languages in the coming four months.

Editor-In-Chief of the newspaper, Mohammad Abdo al-Ibrahim, said that Syria-Times will convey the reality in a transparent, accurate and credible manner to face the misleading and defamatory campaigns against the country.

Al-Ibrahim pointed out that the newspaper will be interactive and will communicate with readers abroad to listen to their suggestions and comments.

For his part, head of Talaqi TV, Maher al-Khouli, said that the Syrian media institutions proved their firmness in confronting pressure and conveying the reality of the events.

Ali Mohyi Eddin from Syriana Radio said that the staff of the station were selected carefully, adding that youths with experience and new graduates were given the chance to prove their skills and abilities.

In a statement to SANA, General-Director of al-Wahda Establishment for Press, Printing, Publishing and Distribution, Dr. Khalaf al-Miftah, said that launching Syria-Times proves the will of the Syrians and their ability to face terrorism, adding that media battles are the most dangerous due to their global influence.